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Fourteen

Mina

Three weeks later

“Mom, say something.” I stare into her eyes. I was trying to give her time to process, but honestly five whole minutes of total silence is long enough.

In some ways, I know we were lucky. Thanks to their safari, nobody was able to get hold of them, and by the time they were back in the real world, things had blown overenoughthat nobody tried. But news channels are still discussing the ethics and practicality of a stepbrother and stepsister being romantically involved, and getting the two of them through baggage and into a car without them seeing or hearing anythingwas a minor miracle.

Still, we were able to do this ourselves, on our own terms, and for that I’m grateful.

“Earth to Mom…”

She reaches out a hand, a little smile playing on her lips, and places it against my cheek. “My beautiful baby girl.” I blush, thinking of the way Jackson says those exact same words. A lot less innocently. “How did I not know this was going on with the two of you?”

“It wasn’t. Not really. It all happened fast. You’re not mad?”

She shakes her head. “Shocked, sweetheart. Not mad. I just wish you’d talked about it with me first.”

“Would you have tried to talk me out of it?”

“Probably. It’s a big deal.”

I can’t argue with that. “Itisa big deal. But we love each other.”

“Of course you do, that’s only natural. But there’s love and then there’slove. How do you know which one this is?”

“Oh, believe me, I know,” I say with a hint of Tina, then blush a little thinking of what we were doing in the parking lot while we waited for their plane to land. That waslove. Not love. “Doyouknow which one it is with Allen?”

She narrows her eyes. “He’s not my brother, Mina.”

“And Jackson isn’t mine. He’s my stepbrother. We’re no more related than the two of you.”

It’s true, and there’s no backing down from this. Right now, Jackson is in another room, saying these same things to Allen, and maybe coming to blows over how much he told me about Allen’s financial issues, I don’t know. But what I do know is, this feels right. It might go against some of the less flexible rules society likes to put in place, but it’s notwrong, and one thing I’m learning lately?

Sometimes it’s okay to break the rules.

Tina had fun.

And she hasn’tcompletelygone into hiding.

“Mom, this is happening,” I tell her, looking her in the eye. “I want you to be happy for me, but my happiness doesn’t depend on it. Jackson makes me happy. More than happy.”

She stares at me for a moment longer, then nods and wraps her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. “Okay, sweetheart. I can see this means a lot to you. Just take it slowly and see how it goes, okay?”

“Well, about that…”

Allen’s voice interrupts as the door swings open. “I think you just need to call Harson. Tell him what you just told me and—”

“Dad, drop it.” Jackson rolls his eyes as he meets mine, and I splutter a laugh, the heart-to-heart moment with my mom broken. “Harson needs to learn he doesn’t always get his way.”

“But—”

“I said no, Dad. We’ll figure something out with your deal.”

“What deal?” Mom asks, turning on them. She stares at Jackson, then at Allen. “What deal, Allen?”

“Nothing to worry about, Jen, just a little business I was doing. It’s not important.”